Vapor stove



A. T. SCHMIDT VAPOR STOVE Filed A rii 9. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. T. SCHMIDT VAPOR STOVE Filed April 9. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 Pfi'l" 'FFICE ADOLPH T. SCHMIDT, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO A. J. LINDEMANN &,

HOVER-SON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF VAPOR Original application filed August 24, 1926, Serial No.

1927. Serial suring a proper hydrocarbon component, and

conducting and burning the same in a pro heating or lighting burner. Theyv may be used, however, in connection with burners designed to furnish heat for cooking and heating operations or for other purposes,

This application is a division of application Serial Number 131,200 filed August 24, 1926, PatentNumber 1,7 96,7 67, by the present applicant. I

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a hydrocarbon stove with tank, fuel ducts and acces sories embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, with one end portion in longitudinal section, of the vapor generator and transmitter for the lighter, removed from the tank or reservoir;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the needle cleanout and regulator for the lighter supply conduit, removed; r

Fig. 4 is a top view of the lighter mixlng device detached; 1

Fig. 5 is a. side view of the lighting device with its valve, mixer and other accessories, portions being broken away;

Fig. 6 is a section of reservoir 4 taken on line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the valve assembly illustrated in connection with Fig. 1.

The top of the stove 1 may be of any suitable construction, and has attached to the underside thereof and supported thereon a fuel supply tube 2 leading to the tank or reservoir 4 and supplying fuel for the lighter or the burner consumption.

, The vaporizing and vapor transmitting device for the lighter is mounted on the reservoir and extends down to the bottom thereof. It consists of a rigid metallic tube 5 provided WISCONSIN STOVE 131,200. Divided and this application filed April 9,. No. 182,192.

made to form an air tight closure, as indicate ed in Figure 2, a filling ofabsorbent material 8 extending through said tube5, and having a portion 8 projecting beyond its lower contracted end 5. It also has annular contracted portions 5, for compressing an absorbent if one is employed at that part. The tube 5 has a small opening 9, which will be located in the upper part of the reservoir, abovetl'ie,

level of liquid fuel therein, to receive air pressure from the interior of said reservoir, and the reservoir is provided with any suitable means for creating air pressure therein and for maintaining an air cushion at'its upper part which will prevent the level of liquid from rising abovethe air intake 9. By this provision and. arrangement the liquid fuel absorbed by the projecting portion 8 of the wick member is carried up through the tube 5 in limited quantity and in a finely divided state, is prevented from accumulating to form a body of liquid therein, and is placed under fluid pressure entering freely at the opening 9, to force the said fuel, as a vapor, to and through the conduit 2. The conduit 2 leads to the union 10 through which the liquid passes to thetube 11 under the control of the valve 12 operated by'the stem 13 and wheel 14. To regulate the flow of the Vapor to the mixer 15, and thence through the large conduit 16 to the lighting burner 17 a stem 18 extending through the tube and having a needle 19 at its end, is provided. The needle enters an orifice 20 in'the hollow block 21, and under the control of the operator through the wheel 22, regulates the escape of the vapor from the tube and also frees the small passage 20 of carbon or other foreign matter tending to clog the same.

i To ignite the lighter the valve 12 is opened,

obi

permitting a small quantity of vapor, to pass burner 17 heats the vapor or liquid, in the adjust this shutter air supply and it need entrance chamber of a primary burner valve (not shown) and causes it to issue thence to any burner or burners in communication therewith and to furnish them with fuel under sufficient pressure to support combustion until the heat of the burner itself raises the temperature of a pre-heating chamber or other device (not shown) and causes a sufficient supply of vapor under pressure to support full combustion. The valve 12 may then be closed to extinguish the lighter.

The mixer 15 for the lighting burner may be of any serviceable construction, but as here shown, consists of a shutter 15 covering the mouth of the conduit 16 and a plate 15 controlled by a set screw 36, so that it may be moved-toward or from the said mouth to regulate the volume of air admitted for admixture with the vapor. The manufacturer can so as to provide a proper not thereafter be adjusted. The bowl 17 at the bottom of the lighting burner will catch and hold condensed vapor, which will be consumed when the said burner is lighted and a small vent 16 in the conduit 16, just above thelevel of the bowl, provides an overflow, which will prevent the accumulation of a large volume of fuel in the lighter, permitting it to escape therefrom very slowly. This provision, however, is not required except in very unusual circumstances.

From the foregoing description of the lighting device it will be seen that only a very small quantity of fuel is permitted to pass from the tank to the lighter; that this fuel is carefully regulated and controlled and safeguarded against all conditions tending to cause undesirable results; and that the parts controlling the lighter and its fuel supply are allfixed inposition and so constructed and arranged that they cannot accidentally give rise to anything but the production of the flame required for the lighting of the burners. It will also be seen that the lighting operation requires only the turning of a valve and the application of a match, and can be performed safely byany person of ordinary intelligence, and without knowledge of the construction or 1 operation of the parts or the explosive character of the fuel.

The tube 5 is preferably provided with annular grooves 5", by peening, or otherwise, to compress the absorbent therein if one be a used and control the fluid passing therefrom and mixing with the compressed air admitted thereto, so that a combustible and not over saturated mixture is supplied to the lighter.

Instead of having the fuel taken up from the body of liquid in the tank, however, it may be taken therefrom as a vapor mixed with air, or rather as air charged with hydrocarbon vapor. In the fuel inducting tube of Fig. 2 this may be accomplished by merely omitting the absorbent 8 and omitting the absorbent above the lower constricted portion 5, so that air charged with vapor will enter the tube 5 and pass freely therethrough to the burner, while at the same time the mixture is enriched by vapor given off by the wick or absorbent 8 in the lower part of the said tube. The capillary action of the wick 8 will ensure the presence of liquid fuel in absorption in proximity to the open portion of the tube 5 regardless of the liquid level in the tank, so that the mixture will be in all cases approximately uniform. The fact that the tank' is always sealed, and all outlets closed when air pressure is placed thereon, and that it can be provided with the usual means for preventing it from filling above a predetermined level ensure a sufficient volume of air to carry the vapor at all times, and effectively guard against the presence of liquid at the air intake of the tube, so that no liquid will be carried therethrough to the burner.

Instead of the arrangement above described the fuel mav be taken from the top of the tank by a short tube 3 (Fig. 1) having its lower end above the liquid level in the tank and connecting with the fuel supply pipe 2 through a multiple way valve 3, which may be turned to cause the said fuel to pass wholly or partly through the auxiliary tank 4 in which a small body of liquid fuel is maintained, so that the mixture may be enriched to the desired extent by having the vapor charged air pass through the liquid fuel therein wholly or partly, and to a greater ment of the said valve. The lower end of the pipe 2 communicates with the auxiliary tank so that the said pip-e receives vapor charged fuel from both tanks. If desired, however,

or less extent according to the adjustprovision may be made for cutting it off from r the second tank in any suitable manner. It will be seen that in all cases the pressure in the auxiliary tank 4 will be the same as in the mfzftin tank at, except when it is entirely out o In order to provide for a sufficient pressure and air supply in the main tank, and to charge the air therein with vapor, an air pressure connection with one tube 23 extending to the bottom of the tank and another tube 24 terminating above the liquid level is provided. A multiple way valve 25 controls the air under pressure entering the tank, so that it can be injected into the bottom of the tank and caused to pass up through the liquid fuel therein or into the top of the tank above the liquid level or in both ways. The connection 26 provides for the admission of air under pressure from a pump or other source of compressed air.

A liquid filling cap 27 closes the filling hole of the tank, and at the rear end a fuel supply tube 28 is provided, so that fuel for the cooking burners 29 can be taken therefrom in the desired form, and vaporized if neceslit sary and preheated and delivered to the burners to support the usual combustion, a suitable provision for which is described and shown in the said copending application.

It will be seen that the vapor fuel distributing devices herein described make provision for taking air directly from the top of the tank and conducting it to the lighting or other burner, this air having been gasified or charged with vapor merely from contact with the volatile liquid fuel sufficiently to give proper combustion, and this may be done with the devices illustrated in Fig. 1 or Fig.

2, Fig. 2 also showing means for passing the fuel through a capillary medium in the fuel supply pipe. They also provide for the injection of air under pressure into the fuel tank either above or below the liquid level, or at both points simultaneously, and thus make provision for the passage of air through the liquid in such manner that it will become charged with hydrocarbon. When this is done it will be found that the air will remain to a certain extent mechanically combined with the liquid, and will be liberated therefrom only as the pressure on it is relieved. This insures a constant supply of fuel impregnated air in the upper part of the tank. Under varying atmospheric and other conditions, how-ever, it is sometimes desirable to further enrich the air with hydrocarbon fuel, and this may be practiced if desired at all times. The auxiliary tank 4 has therefore been provided; and it will be seen that air entering the tank through the tube 3 extending to the lower part thereofand below the liquid level will still further entrain molecules of the hydrocarbon before passing to the top of that tank and therefrom to the fuel supply pipe 2. The lower part of this pipe 2, as well as the pipe 3, when open, will act as traps to catch larger particles of liquid passing through the pipe 3, to and through the pipe 2 to the burner, thus protecting the burner against an oversupply of fuel in liquid form.

The devices for mixing and conducting the fuel are peculiarly adapted for use with the lighting burner illustrated and described herein, and cooperatingin making that burner safe, efficient and dependable, but it will be understood that they may be employed in connection with other lighting burners, and that the lighting burner described and shown can be used with other fuel mixing and conducting means.

I claim.

1. The combination of a tank for liquid and other fluid fuel, means for injecting air under pressure into said tank above and below the liquid level therein, a fuel conduit leading from said tank for supplying mixed fuel to a lighting device or other burner, said conduit communicating with said tank above the liquid level thereof, means communicating between said conduit and the tank below the l1qu1d level for supplying liquid fuel thereto, an auxlllary tank for liquid fuel with which said conduit alsocommunicates, and means for controlling the passage of fuel to and through said auxiliary tank and for causing it to pass to the point of consumption without passing therethrough.

2. The combination of a tank for liquid and other fluid fuel, means for injecting air under pressure into said tank, a fuel conduit communicating with the air space above the liquid level for withdrawing mixed fuel therefrom, means within said tank for enriching said fuel, a second liquid fuel tank, a portion of said conduit extending into said second tank, an outlet conduit for said second tank, and means outside said tanks establishing communication between said conduits.

3. The combination of a tank for liquid and other fluid fuel, means for injecting air under pressure into said tank, a fuel conduit communicating with the air space above the liquid level for withdrawing mixed fuel therefrom, a second liquid fuel tank, a portion of said conduit communicating with said second tank above the liquid level therein, said conduit portion affording a fuel outlet for said second tank.

4. The combination of a tank for liquid and other fluid fuel, means for injecting air under pressure into said tank, a fuel conduit communicating with the air space above the liquid level for withdrawing mixed fuel therefrom, a second liquid fuel tank, a porwe tion of said conduit communicating with said second tank below the liquid level thereof, another portion of said conduit communicating with said second tank above the liquid level thereof, and valve means in said conduit for controlling the passage of fuel to said conduit portions.

lVitness my hand this 31st day of March, 1927, at the city of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, State of WVisconsin.

ADOLPI-I T. SCHMIDT. 

